HANOVER, Germany (June 4, 2012)—Continental A.G. plans to consolidate its European mold-cure truck tire retreading activities at a new plant on a site still being scouted.
Conti did not disclose the size of the investment, the plant's expected capacity or timeline for the change but did say the plant eventually will carry out all of the company's European mold-cure retreading, thereby leading Conti to withdraw from its various off-take and partner agreements.
Conti did not identify any of its manufacturing partnerships.
Conti said it plans to go to market from now on under the ContiLifeCycle umbrella.
Conti's bead-to-bead mold-cure retreading process is known as ContiRe, which is limited to Continental casings and uses new tire compounds and tread patterns.
“Setting up a production facility for ContiRe products will further strengthen the position of our ContiLifeCycle concept and make use of our expertise in premium tire development, quality management and production,” said Christian Sass, director retread business at Continental.
Earlier this year Conti and Italy's Marangoni S.p.A. revamped their precure tread rubber alliance, with Conti taking control of ContiLifeCycle marketing.